Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Fort Smith, AR-OK

Each occupation's median wage in Fort Smith, AR-OK compared against the national median for the same occupation. Unlike a cost-of-living adjustment — which scales every job in a state by the same constant and so cannot change their order — this genuinely re-ranks, and it shows where Fort Smith, AR-OK pays a real premium. Limited to occupations with at least 1,000 workers in the state.

Cost of living: prices in Fort Smith, AR-OK run 14.1% below the national average (2024), so a Fort Smith, AR-OK salary is worth about 1.16× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in Fort Smith, AR-OK

OccupationMedian, Fort Smith, AR-OK · vs. national

1Printing Press Operators$56,350
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,750 – $80,340+23.1%
2Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$55,380
High school diploma or equivalent
$49,030 – $60,800+16.1%
3Production Workers, All Other$45,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$28,720 – $57,480+14.3%
4Community Health Workers$58,690
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,070 – $77,880+13.2%
5Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers$83,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,930 – $100,830+13.0%
6Occupational Therapy Assistants$80,660
Associate's degree
$65,970 – $99,780+11.6%
7Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$56,520
High school diploma or equivalent
$37,700 – $57,980+11.5%
8Food Processing Workers, All Other$43,160
No formal educational credential
$35,140 – $47,190+8.8%
9Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,850
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,280 – $56,360+7.9%
10Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education$40,710
Associate's degree
$27,250 – $59,540+6.7%
11Food Batchmakers$44,470
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,550 – $48,520+5.2%
12Postal Service Mail Carriers$63,380
No formal educational credential
$42,390 – $81,040+4.7%
13Diagnostic Medical Sonographers$100,140
Associate's degree
$74,420 – $102,190+3.7%
14Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$51,030
High school diploma or equivalent
$31,070 – $74,240+3.7%
15Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$66,270
Master's degree
$41,340 – $82,100+3.0%
16Maintenance Workers, Machinery$61,790
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,390 – $71,310+1.5%
17Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School$66,310
Bachelor's degree
$53,320 – $77,490+0.1%
18Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians$74,270
Associate's degree
$47,470 – $108,280-0.1%
19Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators$77,760
High school diploma or equivalent
$51,860 – $98,070-0.3%
20Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers$94,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$58,800 – $116,580-0.5%
21Civil Engineers$100,330
Bachelor's degree
$64,380 – $155,990-0.5%
22Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants$35,440
No formal educational credential
$27,940 – $46,760-0.6%
23Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$47,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,290 – $51,650-0.9%
24Driver/Sales Workers$38,120
High school diploma or equivalent
$24,670 – $57,050-1.7%
25Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers$37,460
No formal educational credential
$30,640 – $39,030-2.2%
26Nurse Practitioners$129,270
Master's degree
$101,120 – $171,590-2.3%
27Insurance Sales Agents$60,800
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,480 – $124,060-2.4%
28Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$34,920
No formal educational credential
$26,740 – $42,580-2.5%
29Occupational Therapists$97,740
Master's degree
$37,330 – $133,070-2.6%
30Physicians, All Other$258,130
Doctoral or professional degree
$59,330 – $398,040-2.9%
31Facilities Managers$103,300
Bachelor's degree
$60,790 – $168,500-3.2%
32Slaughterers and Meat Packers$38,800
No formal educational credential
$34,360 – $42,650-3.3%
33Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$45,090
High school diploma or equivalent
$34,340 – $63,510-3.4%
34Dentists, General$165,060
Doctoral or professional degree
$55,790 – $205,730-3.4%
35Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$57,340
Master's degree
$34,670 – $113,340-3.4%
36Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$44,960
High school diploma or equivalent
$38,280 – $64,920-3.5%
37Physical Therapists$98,730
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,800 – $129,460-3.9%
38Postal Service Clerks$59,490
No formal educational credential
$42,600 – $75,030-4.2%
39Surgical Technologists$61,890
Postsecondary nondegree award
$40,390 – $102,400-4.3%
40Industrial Engineers$97,460
Bachelor's degree
$71,880 – $130,290-4.9%
41Respiratory Therapists$78,080
Associate's degree
$60,680 – $79,070-5.1%
42Pharmacists$133,520
Doctoral or professional degree
$121,760 – $165,370-5.2%
43Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors$44,680
High school diploma or equivalent
$25,730 – $65,430-5.3%
44Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education$59,050
Bachelor's degree
$49,230 – $77,380-5.8%
45Packers and Packagers, Hand$34,090
No formal educational credential
$28,530 – $50,620-6.0%
46Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals$34,480
No formal educational credential
$21,060 – $57,980-6.0%
47Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$40,560
High school diploma or equivalent
$30,780 – $50,790-6.2%
48Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters$47,780
High school diploma or equivalent
$35,060 – $51,440-6.9%
49First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$58,390
High school diploma or equivalent
$39,360 – $91,880-7.2%
50Animal Caretakers$32,720
High school diploma or equivalent
$27,840 – $46,400-7.5%

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianFort Smith, AR-OK	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	vs. national
1	Printing Press OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,350	$31,750 – $80,340	+23.1%
2	Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$55,380	$49,030 – $60,800	+16.1%
3	Production Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,850	$28,720 – $57,480	+14.3%
4	Community Health WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,690	$38,070 – $77,880	+13.2%
5	Telecommunications Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$83,960	$35,930 – $100,830	+13.0%
6	Occupational Therapy AssistantsAssociate's degree	$80,660	$65,970 – $99,780	+11.6%
7	Computer Numerically Controlled Tool OperatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$56,520	$37,700 – $57,980	+11.5%
8	Food Processing Workers, All OtherNo formal educational credential	$43,160	$35,140 – $47,190	+8.8%
9	Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,850	$31,280 – $56,360	+7.9%
10	Preschool Teachers, Except Special EducationAssociate's degree	$40,710	$27,250 – $59,540	+6.7%
11	Food BatchmakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,470	$34,550 – $48,520	+5.2%
12	Postal Service Mail CarriersNo formal educational credential	$63,380	$42,390 – $81,040	+4.7%
13	Diagnostic Medical SonographersAssociate's degree	$100,140	$74,420 – $102,190	+3.7%
14	Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All OtherHigh school diploma or equivalent	$51,030	$31,070 – $74,240	+3.7%
15	Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and AdvisorsMaster's degree	$66,270	$41,340 – $82,100	+3.0%
16	Maintenance Workers, MachineryHigh school diploma or equivalent	$61,790	$35,390 – $71,310	+1.5%
17	Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary SchoolBachelor's degree	$66,310	$53,320 – $77,490	+0.1%
18	Cardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$74,270	$47,470 – $108,280	-0.1%
19	Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and InvestigatorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$77,760	$51,860 – $98,070	-0.3%
20	Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$94,800	$58,800 – $116,580	-0.5%
21	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$100,330	$64,380 – $155,990	-0.5%
22	Automotive and Watercraft Service AttendantsNo formal educational credential	$35,440	$27,940 – $46,760	-0.6%
23	Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,800	$34,290 – $51,650	-0.9%
24	Driver/Sales WorkersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$38,120	$24,670 – $57,050	-1.7%
25	Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersNo formal educational credential	$37,460	$30,640 – $39,030	-2.2%
26	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$129,270	$101,120 – $171,590	-2.3%
27	Insurance Sales AgentsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$60,800	$35,480 – $124,060	-2.4%
28	Cleaners of Vehicles and EquipmentNo formal educational credential	$34,920	$26,740 – $42,580	-2.5%
29	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$97,740	$37,330 – $133,070	-2.6%
30	Physicians, All OtherDoctoral or professional degree	$258,130	$59,330 – $398,040	-2.9%
31	Facilities ManagersBachelor's degree	$103,300	$60,790 – $168,500	-3.2%
32	Slaughterers and Meat PackersNo formal educational credential	$38,800	$34,360 – $42,650	-3.3%
33	Cabinetmakers and Bench CarpentersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$45,090	$34,340 – $63,510	-3.4%
34	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$165,060	$55,790 – $205,730	-3.4%
35	Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health CounselorsMaster's degree	$57,340	$34,670 – $113,340	-3.4%
36	Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,960	$38,280 – $64,920	-3.5%
37	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$98,730	$75,800 – $129,460	-3.9%
38	Postal Service ClerksNo formal educational credential	$59,490	$42,600 – $75,030	-4.2%
39	Surgical TechnologistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,890	$40,390 – $102,400	-4.3%
40	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,460	$71,880 – $130,290	-4.9%
41	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$78,080	$60,680 – $79,070	-5.1%
42	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$133,520	$121,760 – $165,370	-5.2%
43	Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness InstructorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$44,680	$25,730 – $65,430	-5.3%
44	Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$59,050	$49,230 – $77,380	-5.8%
45	Packers and Packagers, HandNo formal educational credential	$34,090	$28,530 – $50,620	-6.0%
46	Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural AnimalsNo formal educational credential	$34,480	$21,060 – $57,980	-6.0%
47	Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and TendersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$40,560	$30,780 – $50,790	-6.2%
48	Structural Metal Fabricators and FittersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$47,780	$35,060 – $51,440	-6.9%
49	First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling SupervisorsHigh school diploma or equivalent	$58,390	$39,360 – $91,880	-7.2%
50	Animal CaretakersHigh school diploma or equivalent	$32,720	$27,840 – $46,400	-7.5%

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Jobs that pay the biggest premium in Fort Smith, AR-OK

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